An FDA inspection, a birthday, and a twins outing contributed to a publishing lapse. Okay, yes, and I spend more time than I should have reading the news and playing Candy Crush. I started my list two weeks ago, now I have more reasons to be thankful on this Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

• Book club in Michigan with a great group of women. Look at these ladies. Doesn’t it look like we’ve known each other for years?
• Socks for Bobby. I love that family members are rallying behind Bobby to get him a few things to help him stay warm this winter.
• Helpful fellow traveler. A man on the L sat, maybe a wee bit too close for a tad too long. He leaned over and said, “Excuse me, but are you on the right train?” Yes, I am. “Are you sure?” Yes, my stop is next. “Oh good, because the neighborhood get rough after that.” A kind act for a complete stranger.
• Visit with mom. She makes me feel like she’s been waiting just for me. What more could a daughter want?
• Amtrak, Metra, Ventra. I love public transportation. A prayer box in the meal cart. No pressure. Just in case you need prayer, Douglas will add you to his list. Fields and villages passing by while I read or write. Reduced fare for seniors and plenty of college students climb aboard.
• Compliment about hair. I did feel a bit uncomfortable about the new cut, but this set my mind at ease, “You and Jamie. Your hair always looks perfect.” Jamie’s does, so comparison to her is super-sweet.
• Depot decorated for Christmas. I love the historic depot that I board on my way back home.
• A clean bill of health for CoCo. We thought she had another bout of osteomyelitis. The super-duper-bone specialist said, no just a little arthritis. And perhaps a little stomach irritation from too much ibuprofen. Despite repeating “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s wait to see what the specialist says,” my mind raced to worse-case scenarios. Best-case was the outcome. No problem that can’t be chalked up to the normal wear and tear joints get just by carting us around.
• A weekend with twins and a reminder of simple delights. Our plan to see the Museum of Science and Industry fizzled when we got there. The special behind the scenes Christmas viewing turned out to be only for the over 21 crowd. No problem: a train ride, a walk through a maze, and a hotel swimming pool delighted Mr. R1 and Mr. R2. And I got a chance to practice my reflection photography.

Yes, Mr. C specifically requested the letter U with a Tube going through it. Tee-hee. Get it?

The week is long and it’s short at the same time. Have you had weeks like that? What about your life are you celebrating this week? Please leave a comment, so I can enjoy your little pleasures, too.